We’re all aware of the big five of the human senses, right? Sight, Smell, Hearing, Taste, and Touch. Decluttering and tidying as it has been popularized recently, primarily focuses on Sight. What does your home look like? Is it aesthetically pleasing? Is it clean? Is it tidy? Do you have a nice-looking yard? When selling a house, the things that tend to sell the house are how the kitchen, bathrooms and landscaping look.

When I began studying feng shui I was all about the elements, colors, balance and the inherent connection to decluttering. And then I hit the information about the bagua and came to a screeching halt. What is a bagua? A small baguette? No, it’s not delicious fresh bread. It’s a map of the energy centers in your home. This map gives you a foundation to refer to when wanting to curate good chi (energy).

The number one statement clients make to me about addressing their clutter is that they don’t know where to start because there’s so much. Overwhelm. It’s a bitch.

Ah, clothes! I love clothes. Soft fabrics that hug me in a cloud of cozy. Easy pieces I can wear with anything anywhere. Flowing items that let the breeze in during hot months. Leggings in subtle solids and wild prints…

I am not perfect. I’m so sorry to let you behind the curtain and break the spell, but I don’t even aspire to perfection. I was raised with all of the values of sustainable living and reduced waste living. I love those values. I also do not meet the expectations of them nearly 80%, let alone 100%, of the time.

This is a concept so near and dear to my heart that you’re lucky it isn’t the subject of everything I ever write. My own realization that caring for my home was caring for myself was a turning point that I never imagined existed and changed everything.

DE-clutter: per dictionary.com means “to remove mess or clutter”. This is what you generally think of, right. Getting rid of stuff. You might wonder why you avoid decluttering. It sounds like a good idea. Sounds easy enough. Kate says it’s good for you. Everyone who does it says they feel lighter and happier.

Do you pack too much when you travel? Extra t-shirts just in case? Twice as much underwear as you’ll ever need? A nice dress just in case, even though you’re going camping? How about enough toiletries to take care of the whole hotel? This is cluttered packing and you don’t have to keep doing it!

Have you been promising yourself for months or even years that you're going to declutter your home? Don't worry you're not alone. Finding the right time and the right way to start your decluttering process can be tough.

Let’s say you’ve done the Marie Kondo purge of your closet. You took everything out. You asked yourself if each item sparked joy. You got rid of half your clothes. You put them back in the closet. You admire the space, the serenity, the relief.